Former Lamb County jailer faces charges of sexual misconduct on the job

Published: Friday, February 11, 2000

LINDA KANEAvalanche-Journal

LITTLEFIELD A former jailer in Lamb County was indicted Thursday for having sexual relations with male inmates. Pandy Aleman could face up to two years in jail for the state jail felony charge.

Lamb County officials said they expect her case to go to court within four weeks. Officials indicated that they expect Aleman to plead guilty.

Aleman has since moved to Colorado and could not be reached for comment.

In an interview this week, Sheriff Jerry Collins said Aleman submitted to a polygraph test, but it was inconclusive.

"She resigned after the investigation started around June or July," he said.

Lamb County is being sued by a former inmate who claims he was raped by his cellmate in April. Convicted murderer Eddie Rowton was acquitted of that crime in September.

His cellmate then filed a civil suit against Lamb County, the sheriff, Jail Administrator Linda Lightfoot, Aleman, and former deputy Henry Lopez. Aleman testified in September that she was working as a jailer the night the alleged rape occurred.

Aleman testified that she saw the two men engaging in a sex act and sought help from a male deputy before separating the inmates.

The former jailer is one of several employees at the Lamb County Jail under investigation for sexual misconduct. Two other jailers are suspected of having sex with inmates and allowing inmates to interact with one another, Lamb County officials said.

A fourth jailer, Eva Bellows, who continues to work at the jail, was indicted in August for reportedly letting an inmate out of his cell. A grand jury no billed her in December.

A former sheriff's deputy, who was recently fired for an unrelated matter, also is suspected of having inappropriate sexual relations with inmates.

A jailer's responsibilities include dispatching calls, making hourly rounds in the jail and dispensing medication and food, the sheriff said. He said jailers have to go through training, but when the new jail opened about one year ago, Collins hired inexperienced people. He said inexperience could have contributed to the investigation.

The 46-bed jail is almost always full, Collins said.

"Something we try to take care of during training (is telling new employees) not to get too close to these inmates," Collins said. "We try to treat our prisoners like human beings, but you can't get too close."

Collins has been sheriff for seven years and said this is the first time he's faced such problems.

"It can sound bad when you have employees under investigation, but the sheriff only has so much control," he said.

In other investigations at the jail, former Sheriff's Deputy, Wes Campbell, who worked as the narcotics officer, was asked to resign in May after a drug test showed he was using cocaine. He faces four felony charges in relation to that matter.

At least one other inmate has threatened suit for the recent allegations of sexual misconduct, Collins said.